Adjustable supporting structure for light signal units and the like



p w. B. WELLS I 2,054,871

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR LIGHT SIGNAL UNITS AND THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1955 INVENTOR Ws B. I Vlls.

BY I

HIS ATTORNEY Patented Sept. .22, 1936 UNITED ST 2,054,871 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE LIGHT SIGNAL TS AND THE Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to Swiss- Wesley B. Wells,

The Union Switch & Signal Company, vale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 12, 1935, Serial No. 26,228 2 Claims. (or. 248-230) flange d and an elbow-shaped casting 5, one end h of which fits over the frusto-c-onical portion 4 of the casting with considerable clearance an cooperates with an annular formed on casting l is secured to the light unit U by means of studs 6, and to the casting 5 by means of a stud l. The studs ii extend through clearance holes i formed in the flange 4 of the casting My invention relates to adjustable supporting structures for light signal units and the like.

Supporting structures embodying my invention are particularly suitable for, although not lim- 5 ited to, use for securing the light units Or a highway crossing signal of the flashing light type to the usual cross arm, and their object is to provide a simple structure which will permit adjustment of the associated light unit relative to the cross arm in all directions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a supporting structure of the type described which will not be affected by previous adjustments, or by long exposure to all kinds of weather conditions.

Iwill describetwo forms of supporting structhe casing 9 of the light unit The stud 1 extends through a clearance hole 5* formed in the elbow casting 5, and is screwed into a hole 6 provided in the upper end of the frustoof the hole 5 aligns with the axis of the'opentures embodying my invention, and will then ing in the end 5* of the casting 5, and the axis of point out the novel features thereof in claims. the hole is aligns with the axis of the irusto- In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a front conical portion i of the casting It will be apthat when the stud 1 is looselevational view showing a highway crossing sig parent, therefore,

nal the light units U and U of which are secured ened, the casting i is free to rotate relative to to the associated cross arm 2 by means of adthe casting is about the vertical axis of the frustoiusta supp rtine'stru u s S1 a d S2 m dyconical portion i but that, when thestud. 1 ing my present invention. Fig. 2' is an enlarged is tightened, the two castings t and 5 are severtical sectional view of the supporting struccurely clamped together. To prevent water from U to the of Fig. 2, section to better illustrate the construction. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on the lines IV-IV and V-V, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing a modified form of a portion of the supporting'structure illustrated in the preceding views. I

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. l, the reference character A designates a highway crossing signal which, in the form here shown, comprises two light units 40 U and U secured, by means of adjustable supporting structures S and S respectively, to the opposite ends of a cross arm 2, which cross arm, in turn, is secured to the usual vertical supsuitable means forming no my present invention and therefore not The light units U and U may have any preferred construction, and may, for example, be similar to the light unit shown and described in Letters Patent of the 50 United States No, 1,878,273, granted to A. w. Fisher and W. 13. Wells on September 20, 1932.

The supporting structures S and S which supporting structures form the subject matter of my present invention, are similar, anda description 55 of one will therefore suffice for both. Referring particularly to the supporting structure S shown entering the casting 5 around the stud I, the stud is provided adjacent its head with a washer I having a downwardly inclined skirt portion which partly incloses a boss 5 that surrounds the upper part of the hole 5.

The end 5 of the casting 5 fits loosely over a tubularextension 2 which is provided on the right-hand end of the cross arm 2, and is secured to the tubular extension by means of a U-bolt ill. The lower part of the U-bolt l0 engages the extension .2 within a groove 2 formed therein, while the upper ends of the U-bolt project up,- wardly through clearance holes 5 formed in the casting 5 (see Fig. l) and carry nuts H An opening 5 is provided in the under side of the casting is directly below the U-bolt Ill to permit assembly of the U-bolt, and the sides of the casting directly opposite the U-bolt are formed with rounded bulges 5 (see Figs. 3, l and 5) to provide clearance for the U-bolt, and to shield theopening 5 from the inside of the casting 5 adjacent the inner end of the extension 2 oi the arm 2 extending annular flange 5 and interposed beetween this flange and the extension 2 'is a gasket l2 of suitable water-proofing material such as The flange 5 prevents water which may seep in around the extension 2 of the cross arm 2 from entering the end 5 of the casting 5, and the combination of the flange 5 and the gasket l2 prevents water being forced into the unit during a severe storm, thus rendering the parts as nearly weather-proof as it is possible to make them.

With the supporting structure S the light unit a top plan view ture S which secures form here illustrated comprises a frusto-conical end in a ture in the casting 4 provided with a hollow 60 portion 4 which terminates at its lower constructed and are screwed into tapped holes 8 provided in conical portion 4 of the casting 4. The axis shoulder 4 which is the upper side of the flange i The said supporting structure comprising a first castzontal adjustments of the light unit U may be ing secured to said unit and provided with a 5 t0 the desired position and then again ht ni and with a shoulder which surrounds the base the stud It will also be seen that vertical adof said frusto-conical portion an elbow-shaped Justments of the light unit may likewise be castin having one end fitting over the tubular quickly and conveniently made by merely loosenportion of said supporting member and clamped ing the nuts I I on the U-bolt I!) just enough to thereto by means of a clamping bolt which en- D m t th s ng 5 t0 IOte e about the tubu a gages said tubular portion at said annular groove extension 2 on the cross arm 2, rotating the and having the other end fitting over the frusto- Casting t the desired po on and then agai conical portion of said first casting and clamped tightening the nuts H. It should be noted that into engagement with said shoulder by means of when the vertical adjustme s made n thi a stud which extends through said elbow-shaped manner, the U-bolt I 0 will C op ate W th the casting and is screwed into said screw-threaded groove 2 in the tubular extension 2 of the cross hole in said frusto-conical portion, a flange arm 2 to retain the Casting 5 n its P p l0 g1- formed in said elbow-shaped casting adjacent the tudinal position on the tubular extension inner end of said tubular portion of said sup- Ib is desirable to have the wires which conduct porting member, a water-proofing gasket interenergy to the light unit pass from the cross arm posed between said flange and said tubular porto the light unit through the supporting stiuction to prevent moisture from entering said li to p v de a Closed e inlet and to permit elbow-shaped casting around said tubular porthis to be done, the Castin 4 is secured to the tion, and a washer secured to said stud adjacent light unit in such a position that the frustothe head thereo and provided with a dependnic l p r i n 4* w l i n W h a Wi penin ing skirt ortion to prevent moisture from en- 9 wh ch s provided in the casting 9 of e light tering said elbow-shaped casting around said unit, and the frusto-coni'cal portion l is prot vided in its side wall near its upper end with a 2. An adjustable supporting structure for sehole 4 curing a light signal unit to a supporting arm Referring now to Fig. 6, I have here shown a one end of which is provided with a tubular por modified form of casting 46, which casting is tion having an annular groove formed therein adapted to be used in pla of he cast ng 4 in said supporting structure comprising a first castsupportlng structures embodying my invention ing secured at its lower end to the light unit when the supporting st u u e to b used in and provided with an upwardly extending frustoo n ction With light u ts of the ype which conical portion having a hole formed in one side are provided at th r upp r en Wi h a s rew thereof and an axially disposed screw-threaded hre ded pip p n F5 r cooperation w h ole formed in the top thereof said first casting the supporting st u t r The casting issimw also being provided with an annular shoulder ilar in all respects to the casting 4 shown in Fig. 1 h h rr nd th lower part of t d frugto- 40 With t e eXCeDtiOII that the flange 43b W i conical portion, a U-shaped clam ing bolt an surrounds the lower end Of the frusto-conical elbow-shaped cast ng having one end fitt ng over po t on 5 of the Casting 49 is h p somethe tubular portion of said supporting arm and what diiferently from the flange d of the casting hav ng th th end fitt ng over t h s 4, as will be obvious f om a inspection of the conical portion of said first casting and engagd w and has formed therein a sCTeW threeding said shoulder, said elbow-shaped casting haved hole 45 which is adapted to receive the screw 111g h l formed in th upper side of said one e d p p Coupling l 5 of the light unit The end for the reception of the ends of said U-shaped casting 40 is prevented from becoming unscrewed b lt and havlng 101; formed in th u d id y means of a Jam nut It in an obvious manner of said one end to permit said U-shaped bolt to be 50 he op at n of t Coupling When provided assembled and having bulges formed in the sides with the castin 40 in pla of h a in 4 1s Of said one end opposite said bolt to rovide similar to that plevlously described and Will be clearance for said bolt and to shield said slot app n m n n p n of th r win withfrom the weather, nuts screwed onto the upper Out furt e d p n ends of said U-bolt to clamp said elbow-shaped One advanta e o supp structures casting to said arm afiange formed in said elbowbody ng my invention is that since the structures shaped casting adjacent the inner end of the are practically water-proof, there will be no tubular portion of said supporting arm, a waterda r 0f e parts rusting together, d a y deproofing gasket interposed between said flange sired adjustmen can th refore be quickly and and the inner end of the tubular portion of said convenien ly m regardless f w n h arm in such manner that when said U-bolt is up as been in service engaging the tubular portion of said arm at said Although I have herein shown and described annular groove the tightening of said nuts will only two forms of supporting structu es embo ycompress said gasket a stud extending through me my nv n n, it is understood th various said elbow-shaped casting and screwed into the Cha a d modifications may be d therein screw-threaded hole in said frusto-conical porwithin the scope of the appended claims without on of aid first casting, and a washer secured departing from the spirit and scope of my nto said stud adjacent the head thereof and pro vention vided with a depending skirt portion to prevent Hav n h described my Invention Wha I moisture from entering said elbow-shaped cast claim is ing around said stud, the hole in the side of said WESLEY B. WELLS. 

